July Fourth Party at Mr. Purple

Rooftop bar and restaurant Mr. Purple is hosting a poolside party for the Fourth of July, with excellent views of the fireworks over Lower Manhattan, hot dogs, beer, frozen margaritas, and a live DJ. $25 per person.

Fireworks and Southern Chefs: A Taste of Georgia

Celebrate Independence Day with some good ol’ Southern food, courtesy of top Georgia chefs Adam Evans (Brezza Cucina), E.J. Hodgkinson (King and Duke), Nick Leahy (Salt Yard), Duane Nutter (One Flew South), and Matthew Roher (The Landings Club, Savannah). They will serve classic Southern dishes like fried chicken, watermelon salad, cornbread, and braised collards. There will also be unlimited pours of wine, cocktails, beer, and cider. Best of all, you’ll get to watch the Macy’s July Fourth fireworks from the waterfront. $100 to $200 per person.

Astoria Flea and Food

The Astoria Flea and Food night market is returning to Kaufman Astoria Studios, an outdoor film studio, for three weekends. Food vendors include Jessy’s Pastries, Jae NYC Eats, and more. There will also be a diverse range of antiques, crafts, clothing, and collectibles.

Food and drinks at the Whiskey Fried festival. (Courtesy of Whiskey Fried Classic)

Food and drinks at the Whiskey Fried festival. (Courtesy of Whiskey Fried Classic)

Food and drinks at the Whiskey Fried festival. (Courtesy of Whiskey Fried Classic)

Whiskey Fried Classic

Pair whiskey with delicious Southern food at the Whiskey Fried Classic, the upscale backyard barbecue. Unlimited bites will be served by more than 20 New York restaurants, including Jacob’s Pickles, The Donutologist, Manila Social, and Delaney Barbecue. Over 100 drinks will be on offer, from vendors including Teeling Whiskey, Templeton Rye, James E. Pepper Distilling Co., George Dickel Tennessee Whisky, and more. $85 to $125 per person.

Celebrate Flatiron Chefs 2016

The best restaurants and chefs in the Flatiron neighborhood will convene for one evening at Madison Square Park. Participating restaurants include ABC Kitchen, Cosme, Boqueria, Hanjan, The NoMad, Eataly, Eleven Madison Park, Shake Shack, Num Pang Sandwich Shop, The Cannibal, and more. The party will also feature cocktails, craft beers, and New York wines. $200 to $350 per person.

Chef Giada De Laurentiis at the Italian Feast event last year. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for NYCWFF)

2016 NYC Wine and Food Festival

Tickets are now on sale for the epic New York City Wine and Food Festival, returning in October. This year will feature more than 100 events with top chefs and restaurants, such as a Nordic breakfast with chefs Claus Meyer and Gunnar Gislason; street eats with chef Michael Mina; an Asian night market with chef Andrew Zimmern; a bagel-making class with Black Seed Bagels; handmade noodle-pulling with Biang! and Xi’an Famous Foods; and a class on cooking vegetables with chef Michael Anthony. All proceeds go to No Kid Hungry and the Food Bank for New York City.

Dos Caminos ‘Guactailing’ Menu

Mexican restaurant Dos Caminos has launched a new guacamole and cocktail menu for the summer. The guacamole menu includes three fresh combinations, each served with salsa and tortilla chips: the La Flaca, with watermelon, ginger, mint, queso fresco, and cucumber chips; the Langosta with steamed Maine lobster, grilled corn, mango, fresh basil, and plantain chips; and the Campechano with smoked bacon, chorizo, and chicharrones. Cocktails include margaritas like the Honeydew with Cimarron Reposado tequila, honeydew melon, and hibiscus salt; the Grilled Grapefruit with Riazul Blanco tequila, grilled grapefruit, and agave; and the Frozen Prickly Pear with cactus fruit and strawberry.

Sparkling Cocktails at Ootoya

Japanese restaurant Ootoya is now serving sparkling sake cocktails with Poochi Poochi (which translates to “the sound of bubbles popping” in Japanese). For the month of July, the fruity, refreshing drinks come in Yuzu, Grapefruit, and Peach (similar to a bellini) flavors.

Weekend Lunch at Robataya NY

Japanese barbecue restaurant Robataya NY in the East Village is now offering its grilled-to-order menu for lunch on weekends. The chefs prepare your chosen barbecue dish in front of you and serve it up on a long wooden paddle. Options include Long Island duck; veggies like eryngi mushrooms, asparagus, and eggplant; and fresh seafood like hokke (mackerel filet) and hotate (scallop grilled in umami soup).